


The World Crumbles

by ComeToMeMusicals



Series: The Opera where it happens [2]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra | Phantom of the Opera & Related Fandoms, Phantom of the Opera - Lloyd Webber
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Angst and Feels, F/M, Friendship, Implied/Referenced Cheating, Married Life
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-06-16
Updated: 2017-06-16
Packaged: 2018-11-14 17:20:55
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,239
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11212665
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ComeToMeMusicals/pseuds/ComeToMeMusicals
Summary: Modern!Crossover PotO/Hamilton. Sequel to Nothing Happens Just Because. Eight years later, the Belrose's live a happy family life while the Reynolds Post brings a storm to the Hamilton's. WARNING: Mature vocabulary.





	The World Crumbles

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is a sequel to the other shot that I had written and saved for far too long and now it has to see the light. Thank you for all the kudos and that beautiful comment I found today, I really appreciate it ♥
> 
> So, you're wrong if you think drama dies with Erikstine, and it means you're still not used to Hamilza ;) What would we do without drama?
> 
> Once again, sorry for any unintended fast-written typos, still trying to get used to writing in English. You don't really have to read NHJB to understand this although there are references. But I with you could read it too because it started it all ♥
> 
> Enjoy!

It’s a sunny morning in New York, but not different from the rest. Traffic jams, people rushing to arrive at work in time, kids going to school; what is usual.

 

Nevertheless, for the last three months, Alexander has been feeling as guilty as he has never been. He wakes up every morning to find his Eliza -best of wives and best of women- barely waking up too. His loyal Betsey, who could never believe what he has done to her. His Elizabeth, mother of his children and one of the most important people in his life. The pangs of conscience are being harder to bear, and luckily, duty calls, so he finally decides to start the day and try to forget.

 

Everything at the house is so normal: the kids run downstairs anxious to go to the zoo, Eliza putting breakfast on the table, Alexander reading the newspaper but also texting. Later, the kids rush to Eliza’s car because they are almost late, and he is alone at last. What could distract him is not there anymore, and it gets worse when he receives a special text from Jefferson -Vice-President, ugh-, like if he needed to get something from him already.

 

“ _Hey Hamilton, you’re damned. And Daddy Washington is not there to help you anymore_ ”

 

He swallows the lump in his throat. It can’t be.

 

Or it can, coming from the unbearable Virginian Jefferson.

 

Alexander takes his car and through the whole journey grips the steering wheel in an attempt to chill out. But it’s impossible. Could Jefferson discover his check stubs? God, he’s the damn Vice-President! Does he even have the time to revise his financial transactions and make a hell out of his life? Oh, yeah, he’s Jefferson.

 

And who made him the Vice-President?

 

“John, you fat _motherfucker_!”, he yells inside the car in the middle of the traffic jam, and ‘suddenly’, the horn joins the rest repeatedly.

 

Despite the traffic, he made it to Jefferson’s office in a place he doesn’t even care to identify. When he enters, Thomas is not alone: Madison and… ugh, Burr, are with him. He shows his best not-giving-a-shit image, but in the inside, he’s shitting himself.

 

The three men turn to find him at the door, as serious as they could be, but Alexander knows well that Jefferson is laughing so hard in his mind that even he can hear him.

 

“You asked to see me, sirs?”

 

“Hamilton, we have the check stubs. From different accounts…”, Jefferson starts.

 

“Almost a thousand dollars, paid in different amounts…”, Madison continues.

 

And then Burr.

 

Oh, fucking Burr.

 

“To a Mr. James Reynolds way back in April”

 

Alexander does his best to inhale as deep as possible not to panic. He stares at them, impassive.

 

“Is that what you have? Are you done?”

 

And then, Jefferson laughs.

 

“Poor fool, you make me laugh”, he says then, with all the swag Alexander is sick of. Luckily, and unluckily at the same time, Madison proceeds while approaching him.

 

“You are uniquely situated by virtue of your position, though ‘virtue’ is not a word I’d apply to this situation—”

 

Jefferson decides to interrupt Madison, enjoying the moment, and pretends to be so indignant it hurts. “To seek financial gain, to stray from your sacred mission, and the evidence suggests you’ve engaged in speculation”

 

Oh, they think they are at a feast. Well, they don’t know everything. This is his chance to get everything off his chest and not to worry about political issues in regards to the Reynolds. He listens to them, of course; their threats, their haughty behaviours. He listens everything until it’s his turn to speak. At first, he remains silent, but then laughs shortly and loudly, turning his gesture from a moment to another into a serious one.

 

“You don’t even know what you’re asking me to confess”

 

“Confess”, the three men say.

 

Thinking he’s already winning, Alexander shows the three politicians the menacing texts Reynolds sent him to seek for money and destroy his career and his life through Maria. He also tells them the whole affair, Maria’s situation and the way she was used as a puppet by her husband although she agreed to that plan.

 

“Whaaaaaaaaaaat?”, Jefferson said with eyes wide-open.

 

“Tell me you have a back-up if your political life goes to waste”, Madison asks.

 

If he has it, they know it, and he’s not going to say it.

 

His job at Erik’s company.

 

* * *

 

Erik arrives at the office but he’s not the one who makes himself be noticed. Christine has rehearsals that morning and he is happy to do another ‘Take you daughter and sons to work’ day. Charlotte and Gustave (eight and six years old) greet their father’s employees with such joy that it seems like they made the personal’s day. The children are three steps ahead, leading the entrance while Erik carries Charles (six months old) with the baby carrier and also the baby bag on his shoulder.

 

Both Charlotte and Gustave have their mother’s curly hair, with the difference that Charlotte is dark-haired and Gustave is brunette. She is already learning ballet and seems to be as gracious as her mother; she’s funny and loves riding her father’s back. Gustave is learning piano, well, he still hits some keys, but Erik couldn’t be more patient; he’s smart and reads a lot. They are talented and make their parents proud. Introducing kids to music is definitely a great thing to do. They know a few Swedish words from listening to Christine, and some other French too. Charles cannot do much at such a short age, but is brunette like his mother and straight-haired like his father; he is a very energetic baby and enjoys being with both of his parents

 

Alexander, while he types furiously on his official website, hears the noise and stands up to pop his head out of the office. He should be already used to the sight, but every time Erik takes his children to work, it’s something amazing to see.

 

“Hey, Alex!”, Erik calls from the near distance and the kids also greet him the same way they greeted everyone. Charles, personally, squeaks with joy because he already recognizes the Hamilton’s.

 

“Hey!”, he puts on his happy-adoptive-uncle mask, lets Charlotte give him a kiss on his cheek and gives Gustave five. Then, he approaches the baby and rubs his chubby cheek with the back of his index finger. “Hey, Charlie. You’re growing up too fast!”, he looks at Erik. “April is far gone already. What made you bring them today?”

 

“Ugh, Christine has morning rehearsals”, Erik says with a bit of frustration. He had to wake her up, and usually he doesn’t like that because watching her in her sleep is the cutest image he could ever wake up with every morning. “But…”, he looks at Charles and places a kiss on his head. “It’s always a pleasure to bring them here with me”

 

Alexander stands there, speechless. Just staring. He would do exactly the same with his kids if they didn’t get bored quickly without doing their hobbies. But, how could he if he doesn’t even spend that time with them? He is always working although Eliza begged him many times to share time with his family. That’s only possible when they spend Christmas with the Washington’s. So he kind of envies Erik for spending such busy time with his kids, but he shouldn’t, as that pain is caused by himself.

 

On the other hand, it’s amazing for him to see Erik so changed thanks to fatherhood. He was damn terrified eight years ago, and now he doesn’t talk about anything else but business or his children (or Christine, obviously). All the photos in his office include his family, including the very first photo they have from Charlotte’s birth as parents, one that Eliza took with Meg’s phone since the blonde had gone to the bathroom to wash her reddened face. Not to say that he bought toys for his kids to have something to play with at the office. Yeah, the Belrose’s are definitely family goals and Alexander cannot feel guiltier.

 

Now, he has a bigger urge to keep writing.

 

“I’ll leave you with these amazing lads”, he finally says as he tousles Gustave’s curled hair. His eyes are crystalized and has another lump in his throat, but doesn’t dare to let them affect him.

 

Clearly, Erik notices and frowns even under the mask. Alexander is definitely acting strange.

 

“Are you okay?”, he asks.

 

“Can we help you, uncle Alex?”, Charlotte asks too with her big eyes and innocent face.

 

“I’m afraid not”, Alex says to them both, shrugging and putting his hands into the pockets of his dressing pants. “But I’ll be fine soon. I promise”

 

He gets back into the office with Erik’s concerned look, although he knows that when Alexander doesn’t want them to mind, it means that they will never know what’s going on. So he takes his children into the office and starts his day at last.

 

Alexander, meanwhile, keeps typing, almost hitting the keys, writing like he was running out of time. He has to do it, he has to finish. He has to end this nightmare and tell the world what happened. He stays late at the office even when the whole world has gone home. Erik approaches  holding his own coat with his index finger, right over his shoulder. Christine fetched the children in the afternoon, so he is alone. What the employees like most about him is the fact that he is the last one to leave.

 

“Alex”, he calls from the door frame. “Everyone’s gone, you should go too”

 

“It’s okay”, Alex answers from his desk, without even looking up or stopping what he’s doing. “Go home. Christine must be waiting for you. Leave me the keys and I give them to Gordon”, he offers referring to the security guard.

 

Erik doubts. Not because he doesn’t trust him, on the contrary, but because he’s not entirely sure about leaving him alone. Either way, he approaches to leave the keys on the desk and stares at him for several seconds. “Take care, Alex”

 

“You too, and send my love to your family”, Alexander simply says, and hears Erik’s ‘thank you’ before his steps fading away.

 

In the eye of the hurricane, there’s a quiet moment, which now it is the lonely building; and a yellow sky, which is the light of his office. He’s an absent father most of the time, but still lives with his family when his father left him at ten; there’s a huge difference between them both, but he fears he’s similar to Hamilton Sir. His mother died when he was twelve when both of them were ill, and he still carries the guilt. His Eliza is healthy, hardworking and manages to find a balance between working, family and social life; she’s a present mother and he would have never asked for a better wife. He was a victim of child labour because he ended up alone and had to make a living until he was seventeen, when the hurricane destroyed the town and he survived. He was alone in the world, and now he has family and friends; however, that’s how he repays them: cheating on his wife, lying to his friends about his well-being. His political life is hanging in the balance although his enemies promised not to say a word (but understanding that rumors grow). He cannot deal with such a weight, he has everything, but doesn’t deserve a thing.

 

By midnight he’s done with the speech on his website, and before turning off the computer he clicks on the ‘publish’ button.

 

But he didn’t tell Eliza before, and that would cost him his daily life.

 

* * *

 

**_*The Reynolds Post*_ **

 

Erik can’t believe his eyes. He reads and rereads Alexander’s website on his phone but just can’t believe it. Christine is breast-feeding while the kids have breakfast, but he didn’t even touch his coffee. He was just reading the news when that article popped up on his private Twitter, which he uses only to know about the world; actually, he tweeted a very few times.

 

“Erik, is everything alright?”, Christine asks after a while, lifting her gaze from Charles to look at her husband.

 

He remains silent, deciding if to tell her or not. She’s Eliza’s friend, does the woman know about this? And he can’t stress her now as she’s attending the baby. But it seems like her phone has been vibrating for a long time. Maybe the Whatsapp group she shares with the Schuyler’s and Meg?

 

“Have you read this?”, he finally inquires holding his phone for her to read.

 

Christine finishes feeding the baby and leans him near her shoulder to pat his back. Meanwhile, she reads a few parts of the article for she doesn’t have the phone in her hands. Despite that fact, she understands what she reads and opens her eyes wide. She’s lucky enough not to stop what she’s doing in her shock.

 

“W-What?!”, she says, staring automatically at the children, who don’t seem to understand. “Go and play, kids. Daddy and I have to discuss some things”, Charlotte and Gustave leave their seats at the table and, puzzled, they leave to their playroom, which gives Christine and Erik the space to talk seriously. “What the hell has he done? What is this?”

 

“Apparently, he cheated on Eliza with a twenty-something-year-old woman”, Erik tells leaving the phone aside. “The girl’s husband sought money from him in exchange of not telling Elizabeth and he kept seeing this… this Maria Reynolds!”, he adds in his astonishment. He denies the idea of Alexander doing such a thing, but it’s a long confession that appears on his official website, the one he uses to tell about all his activities and offers help. Erik deduces that’s how the Reynolds got to him. “I refuse to think this is what he was typing last night”

 

“Well…”, after laying Charles on one of her arms, Christine takes the phone and looks for the publishing date. “It seems it is”, her phone keeps vibrating, and she is already growling because of it. “God, what is it that makes this thing vibrate so much?”

 

When she opens her notifications, there are like a hundred Whatsapp texts from ‘The Girl Power Squad (a flower emoji here)’. The first text is from Meg, attaching a screen capture of the article.

_“ **[07/13 9.30 AM]**_

_Meg: Have you read this?!_

**_[07/13 9.31 AM]_ **

_Peggy: omfg going to kill this bastard_

**_[07/13 9.35 AM]_ **

_Angelica: I’m watching this shit on the news and I swear I’m about to kick him until I leave him sterile_

**_[07/13 9.45 AM]_ **

_Meg: Gil is trying to contact Alex. He can’t find him_

**_[07/13 9.46 AM]_ **

_Angelica: Oh yeah I hope he doesn’t find him because I’ll find him myself_

(After many other messages)

**_[07/13 10.30 AM]_ **

_Christine: Erik just showed me this. I can’t believe it_

**_[07/13 10.33 AM]_ **

_Peggy: he’s a jerk_

_Motherfucker_

_Asshole_

(Black fuck you emoji)

_I hope Angelica is at Eliza’s_

**_[07/13 10.35 AM]_ **

_Meg: Wait, is Eliza reading all of this?_

_Does she even know?_

**_[07/13 10.36 AM]_ **

_Peggy: Nope. Just revised._

_Btw Chris, how’s your chubby one?_

**_[07/13 10.37 AM]_ **

_Christine: He’s fine, just ate_

**_[07/13 10.38 AM]_ **

_Peggy: I need another pic, I drool with them every time_

And Christine sent another pic of Charles, obtaining a heart-eyes emoji from Peggy and many colourful hearts from Meg. She thinks Peggy is probably taking a brief break before killing Alexander.

 

“Hey, what about Eliza?”, Erik asks, knowing that his wife must know better about her than him. He is finally having breakfast although his coffee is a bit cold already.

 

“To be honest? No idea”, she answers leaving her phone on the table to rock Charles, who is squirming a bit and about to cry.

 

“Do you want me to hold him?”, he suddenly offers referring to Charles.

 

“You sure?”

 

“Yes, come on”

 

Worried because he didn’t finish his breakfast, although she knows he doesn’t eat much, Christine lets Erik take the baby in his arms and stands up to clean the table. Behind her back, she listens to Erik.

 

“Come, little boy. Let’s walk with papa”, he says, as he doesn’t calm the kids down in a certain place. He prefers walking around the house.

 

A dumb smile crosses her lips and has the idea of paying Eliza a visit that day or the next, for the other two Schuyler’s are probably going to do their job in any moment.

 

* * *

 

Betrayed

 

Disappointed

 

Anxious

 

_Angry_

 

Those feelings and many more are struck in Eliza’s heart. How could he? Alexander, of all people? Every day together, every single arrival of their children, every night they spent fucking without mercy, every memory crosses her mind doing nothing but making the wound bigger. He let that _girl_ into _their_ bed to let her know what only she knew. The girl, Maria, took off his clothes, she soaked in his sweat, she pulled his hair and left her mark.

 

Because _he_ let her. When poor Eliza thought he was hers and only hers.

 

She is now sitting by the fire, burning every letter she wrote him; enjoys watching the paper twist and darken until it turns into ashes between the wood. Alex has always been so extremist, writing like he was running out of time, spending little time with his family. He likes falling asleep in his office? Then he will do it every night, she decided. Now the whole world knows how fooled she has been by her husband.

 

He hasn’t even had the consideration of telling her first. That’s what angers her the most. She feels a _shamed_. Like if her mood was being the best and not so messed like it has really been, this is what was needed to freak her out. He cleaned his name, washed his hands, in order to save his political life blaming everything on the Reynolds, but to Eliza, the only one to blame in this whole affair is Alexander.

 

She’s not burning Alexander’s letters because now everyone knows their whole life, including the secret affair. She’s burning hers because no one, exactly _no one_ but Alexander will ever know how devoted she was to her husband. Her private life is that: private, and that’s how it will remain. Papparazzis will take photos of them on the beach, holding hands, playing with their kids in the park, but not what happens inside their house. _Never_. They’ll never see the kids’ grades or the Christmas gifts, or get to know when they have dinner with the family or with friends. They’ll never get to see her drunk with the ‘Girl Power Squad’; if she fucks the first man she sees just because of her anger towards Alexander, no one will know, not even he. But there’s a difference: Eliza would never do such a thing.

 

_Alexander did._

 

She is nice, she is kind, she’s loyal and caring. She protects the ones she loves and always makes sure that everything is okay in her surroundings. She accompanied Christine during her three pregnancies, she’s been to all of her sisters’ important events, she attended Meg and Lafayette’s wedding, she welcomed every friend of her children into her house, she helped Erik every time he wanted to impress Christine. She has done _everything_ all these years to make her people happy and they were all thankful for that.

 

But most of all, she has spent all these years being a _wife_. ‘And what a wife’, Erik said once in a moment of admiration. And he wasn’t the only one.

 

However, Alexander proved he wasn’t satisfied like the rest.

 

No one will know about her.

 

 _Nobody needs to know_.

 

When she turns her head to the left, Alexander is standing two metres away. He doesn’t want to believe what he is seeing, but Eliza’s serious and impassive expression proves he is not dreaming. She is _burning_ their story.

 

Oh, but no one burnt it better than him. He slayed it.

 

Eliza drowns in his disbelief. She stands up without a word and walks to him with the last letter, the most recent, in her hand, showing it with pride because she knows what its destiny will be. Alexander stares at her as he swallows hard, waiting for anything to come. Instead, when she arrives, standing face to face, nothing happens for a few seconds.

 

“You’ll _never_ be satisfied”, she murmurs with a threatening voice.

 

“Eliza…”, he mumbles, almost begging her not to burn that letter too. He would keep it as an important treasure. Those letters were saved in his part of the wardrobe and he knows she took them from there. “Please…”

 

Isn’t he satisfied with trusting and kind Eliza? Fine. He will have to deal with done-with-your-shit Eliza.

 

Eliza doesn’t answer, she just holds the letter with both hands in front of him. Taking it from the upper part, she tears it in two, four and million pieces, letting each one fall to the floor, getting a gasp as Alexander’s only reaction. Then, he falls to the floor too, trying to take every piece of paper like if he were going to be able to glue them all together again, in front of her.

 

“I hope that you burn”, with that menacing and dark sentence, she turns on her heels and leaves the living-room.

 

* * *

 

The day at the office seems normal. Of course, from the employees’ point of view. Their boss didn’t arrive in his particularly great mood, he was rather serious like before he had children, and that usually happens when he argued with his wife (or that’s what rumors say) or maybe a problem with some business.

 

That day, Erik isn’t angry for neither of those reasons. He is mad at the main lawyer of the company and not precisely because he is doing his job wrong. In fact, he would never complain about Alexander’s job.

 

Talk less, smile more.

 

He doesn’t smile, or even keep his mouth shut.

 

“What. The fuck. Have. You. Done”, he asks with remarked pauses. He’s leaned on Alexander’s desk while the latter holds his own head with his hands. Erik is not wearing his mask, but the curtains of the office are closed.

 

“Eliza hates me”, Alexander answers.

 

“No doubt of it!”, Erik exclaims with sarcasm and lifts his head to look at the man in front of him. “How could you do such a thing? _You_? Cheat on _Eliza_? Fuck, that’s as possible as me cheating on Christine”

 

“Uh, I’ll tell Christine to keep an eye on Lin, then”, Hamilton retorts referring to Erik’s Asian-American secretary.

 

“Go fuck yourself. That’s what you have left”

 

And then, Alexander shuts his mouth. Erik is well-known for his fits of anger; in fact, it’s been a while since he last had one, perhaps eight  or nine years. It has to be a really heavy issue for him to have another one again, his family is the place where he can be at peace, and luckily, he spends every day with them enough to calm down.

 

He never felt so secure and welcome between a bunch of people. For God’s sake, they came from Heaven.

 

And Alexander? Fucked a woman from downtown while his family spent the holidays in Albany. That’s what angers him. Their marriages seemed to be so right when they both thought they were irreversibly fucked-up, and he dares to commit such a sin. No, Erik would never do such a thing to his dear Christine, his pure and kind wife, mother of his beautiful children. That’s unimaginable. And also, what Erik was told that morning by a concerned Christine leaves him even more restless about it.

 

“You lend that girl some money to fix her economic problems, that’s alright”, Erik started, murmuring, trying to keep his patience. But definitely, the situation is trying it. “No one, absolutely _no one_ told you to fuck her”

 

“You had to see her, Erik”, Alex insisted in a supplicant voice. Finally, he looks at the deformed man crossing his arms over the desk. His eyes show he is saying the truth, that he was and is helpless, but the CEO of that company is in complete disbelief. “She led me to her bed, she provoked me with that sensuality of hers. Come on, you more than anyone should understand”

 

“W-What?”, Erik’s eyes widen and his eyebrows raise automatically. He almost chokes in his own saliva. “I would be lost if Christine showed up in lace lingerie in the middle of my office, but not because of a woman whose husband wants to ruin my life. I can’t believe you did this”

 

“Erik, please, I know you can’t,”, he is desperate, he sounds in need of help, he is even trying to accompany his words with his own hands before Erik’s eyes. “but you’re the only one who can help me now. The Schuyler’s don’t want to see me, not even in a coin, and Christine, oh God, she must be with Eliza”

 

“She’s pretty disappointed too. Not to say a lot”, Erik straightens and crosses his arms over his chest with a careful look. “Alexander, you should’ve told the police. They didn’t even have a proof of this affair!”

 

“Maria is a victim of Reynolds’ violence!”, Alexander remarks, now talking loudly. Erik inhales deeply, praying the employees don’t overhear. “She could easily tell about it in the judge because he told her so! Jefferson, Burr and Madison threatened me too!”

 

Oh, no. Bad step. How could someone so smart be so stupid?! It’s funny that Erik is also smart and when Christine got pregnant the first time also acted stupidly. But he didn’t cheat on her, he just got drunk until he reached unconsciousness.

 

“So your solution was to fucking post it on your motherfucking website for the world to know!”, Erik yelled, pointing at the office door with an open hand. “Three people, Alexander. THREE people knew about this! You didn’t even tell Eliza first, do you understand?!”, the tension in the air, they’re not business partners, they’re just two friends trying to get something right. But there’s no logical explanation for what Alexander did. The abuse of social media is everywhere, however, Erik never thought that it would happen so close to him when he’s surrounded by adults that have their feet on the ground if not children. Alexander sometimes screws up, but this time he nailed it.

 

Hamilton is silent. If he explains the real purpose Erik will punch him so hard he will break the window and fall from the building. They both know he has a political life besides this one. But personal life must be private, and he has been fooled by a criminal that also abuses his own wife. They managed it so well he doesn’t know how he could do it. And now? Now the hurricane is passing through.

 

“It was…”

 

“It was what?”, Erik inquires.

 

“… an act of political sacrifice”

 

Erik laughs. But he laughs so hard he sounds maniac. He can’t breathe, he even grips the chair nearby not to stumble and fall. And suddenly, he recomposes himself and glares at him with an impassive look.

 

God, he _is_ strange.

 

“A sacrifice will be the black eye you will have when you leave if you aren’t done with your bullshit right now”, he menaces. “Do you think you don’t have a private life being a politician? Alexander, _you_ have to impose your private life as such. Who takes your children to school?”

 

“Eliza”

 

“Do paparazzi’s take photos of them?”

 

“… No”

 

“Why?”

 

“… They know Eliza would demand them”

 

Erik gives Alexander a relaxed yet convinced look and opens his hands like showing that all the cards are laid on the table. “How can she and not you? Because Eliza wants a private life and makes it happen. Put your shit together, Alexander. You made me do it once, do not disappoint me”

 

Erik puts on his mask and leaves the office to get into his, which is one or two feet away, and slams the door closed startling almost everyone in the floor; including Alexander. Everything is slowly going to waste, but he is so proud he still doesn’t regret publishing the post. He regrets not telling Eliza, not discussing it with Erik, but going five steps ahead Adams and his political offspring is completely pleasurable, he would never be blackmailed by them although he had enough with Reynolds. Now that miserable will be sued for blackmailing a State official.

 

Still, he has to find a place to sleep at. His office at home is not that comfortable. And if Erik dares taking him home, he will end up kicked out by Christine and he has had enough with women for now.

 

* * *

 

Philip Hamilton is top of his class at school being only 12 years old. He’s funny, enthusiastic, loves writing poems and rapping them like his father. He always brings home at least one anecdote about his day and entertains his siblings until they go to sleep. He enjoys playing with them and his adoptive cousins, he plays piano, speaks almost fluent French and loves reading. He looks like the perfect child, but now he has to struggle with the consequences of something he still doesn’t understand while he is going through the first phase of puberty. He is such a good boy, so patient and smart that Eliza is heartbroken to see him distracting the rest of her children although he doesn’t know what’s going on. Philip only knows that his father behaved terribly and the whole world agrees. Everyone has their eyes on his family and he just can say hello.

 

During the break at school, he walks peacefully through the playground with his lunch. Some boys run around and some girls are sitting under a tree chatting. He is wearing a striped light-blue shirt and jeans; his dark curls are wild as a lion. He sits near those same girls and greets them singing in a childish-flirty voice:

 

“Hey ladies, my name is Philip and I’m a poet. I’m only 12 but my mind is older. Everyone says silly stuff about my pops but you should know that I’m such a great match thanks to him”

 

The girls giggle covering their mouths and he attempts to keep that, until a group of older boys appear in front of him. One of them is George Eacker, son of wealthy English  immigrants. He is good at speeches although he is just 14.

 

“Hey, Hamilton. You’re just like your father. Hanging around with more than one woman at the same time”, the boy says with his arms crossed, showing a huge confidence with his friends behind him forming a V. The girls have already left to keep chatting somewhere else.

 

Suddenly, a little girl with green eyes and a bit of yellow appears metres away carrying a tupper with some sandwiches her father made her before going to school. It’s Charlotte Belrose, the eight-year-old daughter of Christine and Erik. She is as independent and smart as her parents, though she doesn’t have many friends because she doesn’t feel comfortable between girls who only know about how to impress boys (yeah, at that young age) and what to wear for the next birthday party; despite, of course, she’s friends with two girls of her class. Hangs out mostly with kids from the neighbourhood that know her since she was just three and her father was convinced enough to take her for a walk without fearing of his mask. They don’t go further from the block, but still enjoy their games. That’s why she’s not concerned about not having friends at school, for it doesn’t mean she has no friends. And also, boys and girls make no difference in the street like at school.

 

Charlotte has an amazing relationship with Philip. They both are older siblings and know what the job is about. She is very fond of Philip, he understands her better than any kid does and it makes her feel even better the more she grows: he protects her and gives her good big-brother advise, and also knows how to handle her own siblings! He is so cute… but there’s a problem. Another girl she still doesn’t know the name.

 

But that seems to be a topic for another day, because she has just seen those rude boys confronting her Philip. She approaches cautiously and holds her tupper near her body, wrinkling that part of her dress, and overhears.

 

“What is it that y’all have against my father? He’s awesome!”, Philip argues standing up and clenches his fists.

 

“Poor little lad, he doesn’t know his father has been frick-fracking someone that is not her mother”, one of the six boys in front of Philip comments behind Eacker and then laughs without mercy.

 

Philip frowns. Frick-fracking? What does that even mean? Is that thing his parents are about to tell him about because he is old enough? No, he refuses to think that. His pops loves his mom more than anything in this world and Philip is capable of proving it. He’s not going to let them disrespect his dad in such a way.

 

“Frick-fracking is what my fist is going to do with your face, Eacker!”, Philip yells at the English boy. But George’s friends hold him before he could even make a step.

 

Charlotte cannot let anyone hurt Philip, and she’s already angry because six against one is not playing fair. She leaves her tupper against the tree and moving her jaw from side to side stands in front of the boys, just beside Philip. It is really brave confronting a 14-year-old bully coming from  an 8-year-old from third grade.

 

“Hey Eacker, leave Philip alone”, she commands like her father when he wants her and her brother to collect their toys. Erik gives no shit even with his children. When it has to be done, he commands like a General.

 

The boy looks at her and he can’t help laughing, the rest of the boys following him right away. “Oh, no, really? Why don’t you go and play with your colouring books instead of sticking your nose into other people’s business, little girl?”, he takes her by the dress and lifts her. Charlotte doesn’t mind, she still gives him that menacing glare of hers. He’s been held enough by her father not to panic. “Honestly, Hamilton, do you really need a baby to defend you?”

 

“And do you really need your silly friends to accompany you if you’re so brave?”, Charlotte attacks taking his hands in her dress. Is that everything he has? Her friends can even do it better than this.

 

George ends up letting her fall on the floor, stunned by her counterattack. That girl is not going to trample him with her ‘sass’. Her dress gets dirty with earth but she still doesn’t care, no one will harm Philip, not even a bully. Eacker stares at her before kneeling in order to look at her really close in the eye. Little Lotte doesn’t seem intimidated yet. This has to be a joke.

 

“Listen, you silly girl. You can’t harm a fly and you would surely run in tears to your daddy’s arms, what are you going to do to, kick me out?”

 

As creepy as her father’s smile can be when angry, Charlotte smiles at him and holds one of his cheeks with a hand. “You just gave me a great idea”, she murmurs with a sweet voice, and lifts a leg to kick George’s crotch.

 

“FUCK!”, the boy yells and falls to the ground, almost in tears. His friends stand there, looking at her astonished and even terrified. So, are they going to mess up with a 8-year-old that kicks boys in their most sensitive parts to defend a friend? Definitely not. Eacker’s friends are hypocrite enough to run away and leave the boy alone in his struggle.

 

Philip cannot believe his eyes. He knew about Charlotte’s strong will as soon as she hit it off with Angelica, his sister. But he never imagined she could be capable of overthrowing a boy six years older than her. He prays he could be that sassy, and he is still standing there, watching astonished the way George’s squad runs away without looking back, and then George, who is trying to contain his pain but is visibly incapable of doing so. He is suddenly proud of the girl he is growing up with, and imagines her mother would have a heart attack if she knew about this. “Lotte… Woah”

 

Charlotte stands up and takes her tupper from the floor without caring about the dirt on her dress, she is used to it anyway. She purses her lips to wet them with her tongue and approaches Philip like if nothing happened. “You’re welcome, by the way”

 

“Are you okay?”

 

She frowns, puzzled. “Are you kidding? Am I an ice sculpture?”

 

“God, no!”, he answers right away with the fear of her being mad at him too.

 

“Great”, she says before opening her tupper. Then, she takes out her sandwich and gives it the first bite. “And you?”

 

“Fine, I guess”, he replies. After a few seconds watching her eating, he scratches the back of his head and looks away. “Hey… Do you believe my father frick-fracked another woman like Eacker said?”

 

“I don’t know what that means, but don’t listen to him. Everyone talks about daddy’s mask and he’s still alive”, she simply answers, not even paying attention at the fact that she’s still chewing her bite of sandwich.

 

“I owe you a favour”, Philip surely would be at the infirmary if it wasn’t for Charlotte. She deserves something, at least a chocolate!

 

“Nope. Having you by my side… is enough”, Lotte blushes at that last sentence, but it’s the truth. Philip’s company and friendship is one of the things she values the most. She would kill for her loved ones if needed.

 

* * *

 

Christine cleans the kitchen floor of the Hamilton’s home once more after taking care of Eliza the whole day. She doesn’t mind, she wanted to spend time with her friend for her not to be alone and was also a great chance to entertain their kids by letting them play in the yard together. Angelica and Peggy couldn’t come and Meg had rehearsals, so Eliza’s day-care was up to her.

 

“I’m so sorry, Christine. Please, don’t clean up, it’s not your house anyway”, Eliza begs laying on the chair, not even sitting. She is holding a wet cloth over her forehead and has a glass of water on the table. The daily nausea is getting worse and although she’s used to it, it is still unbearable.

 

“I can’t just leave it there, Eliza”, Christine insists while she washes the dirty cloth in the washbasin. “And I’m here to stay with you, don’t worry”. The kids’ laughter and shouting can be heard from their place and the Swedish smiles dumbly. Many years ago they were only Philip and Angelica, now there are her two oldest children and their two brothers. Six kids playing in the yard is just a crazy idea for her. It’s been a long time and she still thinks she is only living with Erik, kids being an utopia.

 

Eliza’s daily life has become an unstable thing. What looks like routine is almost an unreal situation. Waking up without Alexander and spend the morning like any day is just strange; her kids ask about him and she doesn’t know what to answer. Every time she goes out of the house she feels the people’s eyes on her, and the paparazzi’s cameras. She just wants to disappear, now that she can’t drink alcohol because of her pregnancy. She can’t look at Alexander in the eye, he betrayed her and she’s not giving a shit about his struggle (or at least, that’s what she _wants_ to believe. Eliza never misses a day when Alexander is upset). He has been replaced by Angelica, Peggy, Meg or Christine depending on the day.

 

Christine looks at her while going to put the dry dishes she washed hours before in place. Her eyes reflect the deepest sympathy and sorrow, as the Hamilton’s are her friends and her selfless heart places them before her, wondering if things are going to be the same. Although, for good or not, things never remain untouched after a crisis.

 

Their situation is similar to the one she had with Erik for just a reason: there is a baby in the middle, an unborn child who unconsciously expects to arrive at an united family, comfortable and ready to fill its life with joy and useful lessons. A child who is not guilty for what happens between its parents and whose destiny depends on its elders. What-ifs come to her mind as soon as she realizes. If she had never found Erik in such a drunk state, what would’ve happened? What would happen to the children if Elizabeth and Alexander decided to get divorced? There is a whole process and the arrival of a new baby does nothing more than complicate things. Philip is barely twelve and Angelica ten, and they already know how to soothe their siblings, but who will soothe them if Eliza and Alexander are not able to do so? Will that be the moment where their aunts, Meg, Lafayette, the Washington’s, Erik and she come into the scene?

 

Her thoughts dissipate once Eliza suddenly speaks again. “Chris, I don’t get it”, a knot in her throat interposes in the fluidity of her voice. “He… He not only cheated on me… He did it with a young girl. A girl in her early twenties…”, her voice breaks in a painful sound that tears Christine’s heart in two. God have mercy, this woman is devastated. “Do-Do you understand? In her twenties…”, she starts to ramble in murmurs. “A girl… a downtown girl in need… in her twenties…”

 

Christine rushes to her side, although she could only save one plate, and hugs her delicately. “Sh, I know, I know”, the fierce, strong Eliza Schuyler is broken in millions pieces, and Christine bets she will be one of the few who will ever see her in such a state.

 

“What if she… What if she is…?”, Eliza mumbles on her shoulder, the cloth is on the floor as she couldn’t even hold it.

 

Christine knows what she is talking about and refuses to think so. “No, don’t. Alexander could be stupid, but I’m sure he’s not _that_ stupid. Now hush, rest”

 

Eliza calms down throughout the day, sometimes cries and calms down again, and then crumbles once more to finally fall asleep without even having dinner. The kids, of course, don’t see much of their mother’s sorrow as Christine took the responsibility of keeping them busy with games, snacks, movies and helping them with their homework. Philip is the only one that suspects, and with just a pleading glance from his adoptive aunt, he cooperates and says nothing, he just enjoys as he should be, which makes Christine feel better.

 

Late at night, with all the children asleep and after whispering a sweet “tomorrow will be a new day” to a deeply-asleep Eliza, Christine leans against the counter with her back at it, completely exhausted. Her two oldest kids sleep on the couch and she is just trying to relax at least a little when her phone rings. She is about to grunt but first she recognizes Erik’s photo on the screen. “Hello”, she answers with her tired voice.

 

“Hey”, Erik answers back, automatically giving her those precious goose bumps that only he knows how to cause in her, just because she loves him dearly. “A hard day?”

 

“You have no idea”, she replies. Her free hand rubs her own forehead and fights against her heavy body. “Did Charles behave?”

 

Her ears are blessed with Erik’s chuckle. Maybe he doesn’t show it much, but it’s clear he is as tired as she is and just because he read too many papers; not even comparable, he understands, with what his wife does every day and specially what she has done that same day. “You know he’s a saint, my angel. But I dare say he was particularly playful today”, he adds with a smile his wife can’t see, but is deductible.

 

“I’m glad to hear that”, Christine says with a smile too. She’s glad their baby son is happy, she’s relieved she’s fine with her husband, she is just thankful because her family has no problems right now. She doesn’t need or want them, less now with this Hamilton crisis. Suddenly, she feels the need to talk to her husband just a bit. Christine needs to share some of her thoughts with Erik although both of them are exhausted. “Honey. All this… crap. This issue with our friends… just made me think about us”

 

Erik stiffens at the statement, curious about what his wife means. He inhales deeply and focuses on listening. “What about us?”

 

“I don’t know where to start”, Christine answers as she puts her free hand into the pocket of her jeans. She gets nervous, naturally. She always does when serious talks come from nowhere. “We have some arguments, as they’re usual in marriages. It would be a complete lie to say that there’s a marriage that doesn’t have them. But still, we have a beautiful family I would never like to break with terrible mistakes. You… You always say you don’t deserve us and I know that’s not true. After all, people learn from their experiences in life, don’t they?”

 

“Christine…”, Erik murmurs softly, wanting to go and hug his wife so badly, and so tight that no one would be able to separate them.

 

“I love you, okay?”, she concludes. She’s too tired to express everything that has been going through her mind the whole day with just witnessing Eliza’s suffering.

 

Erik takes his time processing those words. He has heard them for more than a decade, a crazy thing to hear, from his wife and also from his children; however, this is one of those days when they are said with such a heartfelt emotion it sensitizes him and fills his eyes with tears he always suppresses. “I-I love you too, my Angel of Music. I’ll pick you up”

 

Christine nods although he can’t see her, and after an exchange of a few words of love, she ends the call and automatically hears the front door of the house opening, revealing Alexander behind it.

 

It seems like Erik forgot to tell her, but he found Alex at the door of the building of the company ready to sleep there, and sent him home without a word. And well, he definitely looks like he hasn’t been at home for a long while, completely unkempt: half of his shirt is out of his dressing pants and the whole garment is dirty, he carries his coat on one arm, his hair is tousled from the wind and is decorated with some leaves, and his face… well, it shows the disaster of a man he became. He closes the door behind him and it takes some seconds for him to realize Christine’s there. When he does, he jumps and finally goes back to his defeated and exhausted posture. “Sorry, Chris. I didn’t know you were here. Erik…”

 

“I guess he has something to tell me if you look like this”, she answers calmly, saving any resentful manner for she is not that kind of person. Not even if she finds her adoptive brother-in-law in such a state. “Erik is coming to take us home, everything is under control with the kids and the house”, of course, Christine couldn’t say the same about Eliza, and great part of that issue is related to him and not her. And Eliza’s pregnancy, he still has to know about it. “She has to tell you an important thing, by the way, as I’m not the right person to do so. But I already told her in the morning, and she’s now sleeping”

 

Alexander sighs with no possible answer. There’s no way he could reply at that big favour she has done to him, or better to say, to his family and the house. “I don’t know how to thank you”

 

Suddenly, they both hear the horn of a car outside, and Christine recognizes it as Erik’s car. “Just don’t. Please, be responsible. You won’t want to repeat Erik’s mistake during my first pregnancy”, she warns before walking past him to take her bag. Then, she opens the door and lets Erik take Charlotte and her bag so she can take Gustave without any problem. They both say goodbye to Alexander and leave the house.

 

Then, the house is completely silent, as he has no one to talk to, and nothing else to do than going to sleep to his office.


End file.
